Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The ornamentation of music written for the voice with florid passages, especially trills and runs.
  • noun Vocal music characterized by florid ornamental passages.
  • noun A singer, especially a soprano, specializing in such ornamentation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun plural florid or fancy passages in vocal music
  • noun singular a singer of such passages, especially a soprano
  • adjective Pertaining to coloratura.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun singing with florid ornamentation
  • noun a lyric soprano who specializes in coloratura vocal music

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Obsolete Italian, from Late Latin colōrātūra, coloring, from Latin colōrātus, past participle of colōrāre, to color, from color, color; see color.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Italian coloratura, from Late Latin coloratura, from colorare "to colour".

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Examples

  • It also showed an ability to sing coloratura, which is a fast, fluid way of singing music that is ordinarily not that easy for the more dramatic singers.

    Maria Callas: Voice Of Perfect Imperfection 2010

  • It also showed an ability to sing coloratura, which is a fast, fluid way of singing music that is ordinarily not that easy for the more dramatic singers.

    Maria Callas: Voice Of Perfect Imperfection 2010

  • It also showed an ability to sing coloratura, which is a fast, fluid way of singing music that is ordinarily not that easy for the more dramatic singers.

    Maria Callas: Voice Of Perfect Imperfection 2010

  • It also showed an ability to sing coloratura, which is a fast, fluid way of singing music that is ordinarily not easy for the more dramatic singers.

    NPR Topics: News 2010

  • It also showed an ability to sing coloratura, which is a fast, fluid way of singing music that is ordinarily not easy for the more dramatic singers.

    NPR Topics: News 2010

  • It also showed an ability to sing coloratura, which is a fast, fluid way of singing music that is ordinarily not easy for the more dramatic singers.

    NPR Topics: News 2010

  • Now, the French soprano, 45 years old, returns to a part designed for a singer who can handle "coloratura" — elaborate trills and zippy singing.

    High Notes 2011

  • They clearly love playing for him and grabbed every opportunity to thrill us with their classy reading of Rachmaninov's arching, aching second symphony, which was a perfect companion for the evening's curio, Glière's Concerto for coloratura soprano and orchestra though nearly 40 years apart, they share the same lush, chromatic harmonic language.

    The Turn of the Screw; BBC Proms 32, 35, 36 – review 2011

  • Called “La Stupenda,” she combined the heft of a Wagnerian singer with the agility and upper register of a coloratura soprano, leading to powerful interpretations of great bel canto roles that had lain dormant for decades -- following in the wake of Maria Callas, who had spearheaded their initial revival.

    Joan Sutherland: addio, Stupenda Anne Midgette 2010

  • Bonynge also helped guide her away from the Wagnerian track that might have seemed to be a natural for someone of her vocal endowments, and into the realm of the coloratura soprano.

    Joan Sutherland: addio, Stupenda Anne Midgette 2010

Comments

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  • I love this word and have few occasions to use it.

    July 12, 2007

  • See fioritura.

    September 2, 2007

  • I love it, too. It seems that it would have seeped into other usages or contexts by now.*sighing* I mean, don't you think the fall landscape in the mountains is full of coloratura? And I guess a naughty joke would be considered off-coloratura if it were particularly graphic (or colorful). I want to start a committee whose purpose is to get more mileage out of coloratura. Why limit it to singing/music?

    August 22, 2008

  • You can just move to Italy, and use it whenever you like. :-)

    August 22, 2008